[Lowfer] GWEN, anyone remember it?

[Tom Norris]

Yes, GWEN, Ground Wave Emergency Network.

Several years ago the USAF proposed and started to implement an LF based
data network. A few of the stations went in before the whole thing 
was scrapped.
( anyone out there remember the data bursts in the 150Khz range about 10 years
ago? that was it ) Fast forward to about 6 years ago, a friend of 
mine bid on some
DRMO stuff, seems it was new unused GWEN stations, about a half dozen complete
systems -- three buildings, one housed a generator, one the radio 
gear, and one the
antenna coupler. The Air Force base where this equipment was located 
sadly wanted
to keep the generators and the buildings for the other gear, so my friend ended
up with 2 or three complete, new, unfielded GWEN stations in pieces 
and less the
crypto bits that were part of the receivers and exciters. ( There is 
a point to this
posting, you are saying now.... ) The particular stations were nomenclatured
AN/GRC-167. ( correct me if I'm wrong )Don't worry, there is little 
info on the net,
and even the manuals for the power supplies were shredded when he 
took possession
of the stuff it was so hush-hush.

What I have ended up with are two sets of antenna coupling links. Interesting
configuration, two large coils ( about 5 ft long by 30" dia ) mounted 
on a sliding
rack as a loose coupler for feeding the towers that were also part of the
system. also got the dregs of a 20KV capacitor assortment that was also
part of the tuner. Sadly, the smaller more useful inductors and the very pretty
and very large vacuum relays were tossed accidently, but the 1 kW power amps *
and cabinets are still around and I am working on getting those, 
though I doubt he
wants to get rid of the nice EMP proof rack cabinets. Also in the 
works is talking
him out of a used NDB transmitter that I will attempt to retune down 
to our freq
range so maybe FINALLY I will have a beacon on the air.

Also scored a pair of new feedthrough insulators from the system. BIG
critters, about 4 feet long by six inches around.

I'll stick some pictures of the haul on my web page whenever the guy delivers
it. Since I will have two  of these loose couplers, I will offer one 
to the list.
Heck, I may offer up both of them if there is interest. Pick up only middle
Tennessee.

Dunno how useful this will be for "normal" lowfer  stuff, but it will
at least be interesting. Contact me offlist, or at least send a copy
to me offlist in any interest.

73 all

Tom KA4RKT
Manchester, TN
"in the middle of a fresh water marsh"


*NOTE* The transmitter bits are even less useful than just having excess power.
The things ran on a 96 volt power supply ( the guy thinks ) with some 
sort of funky
custom MosFet power amp. I'll see if I can get some more pics or at 
least a couple
of the amps to dissect.